Simulated basketball game



Jan. 29, 1957 L. BARBOLLA 2,779,597

SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Filed June 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.I. 11/5 5/1 RBOLL A A TTORNE) Jan. 29, L, BARBQLLA SIMULATED BASKETBALLGAME Filed June 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A 0/5 5/4 fiBfiLLABY ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1957 L. BARBOLLA SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME FiledJune 11, 1954 3 Sheetsfiheet 5 SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Luis Barbolla,Mendoza, Argentina ApplicationJune 11, 1954, Serial No. 436,144

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-85) The present invention refers to a parlor game ofthe basketball type.

Specifically it refers to a game in which the ball is directed to thebasket through the articulate puppets representing the active playersand handled by opposing persons playing the game, with the particularitythat each basket, instead of having an opening below the net work ofsame, has a receptacle with a conduit leading to a ball return chamber,in such a manner that all balls falling Within the basket remain out ofreach of the user until the end of'the game. This means that withoutneed of a counting device, the game may be regulated according to thenumber of balls allowed and the aim and ability of the contendingpersons in inserting the ball in the net, with the mechanical puppetmeans provided in the system.

Each basket has an entrance ring and a net piece; as in the usual game,the admission of the ball in same will result in the usual manner, butwith a deviation toward the mentioned descending conduit, in such amanner that each goal means the loss of a ball, which is accumulated inthe ball return chamber in order to render them available for thesubsequent game.

For greater clearness and comprehension of this invention reference maybe had to the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of thefield near one of the basket posts and illustrating how the ball isdelivered to the ball return chamber from the basket.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of the fieldlooking in elevation upon one of the baskets and a portion of the postbroken away to show the interior thereof and the ball passing thenthrough.

Fig. 3 is a general plan view of the game.

In the diiferent figures, the same reference numerals and lettersindicate corresponding parts.

As may be seen in the drawings a is the playing field or floor which ishoused within side and end walls 1 having openings 2 in which bars 3 areslidingly and rotatively operated by handles 4 grasped by the personoperating same.

Each bar 3 possesses one or more puppets or playing elements b which areformed so that, with the movement of bar 3, they can take hold of andimpel the ball 5 in catapult manner, so that, as graphically shown inFig. 1, the object of inserting the ball in a basket assembly c may beaccomplished. Such a playing element is described and claimed in mycopending application Serial No. 436,143, filed June ll, 1954.

The field a has declivities forming depressions 6 in such a manner thatthe ball may be within reach of pup pets b. Depressions 6 are madebetween the bars 3 of opposing parties.

The basket assembly c comprises a ring, a net-piece 7 and a backing wall8, all of which are held by a hollow post d rising from the floor.

nited States Patent ice As all balls that have passed through the basketmust be removed therefrom, the basket 0 has under its ring 7 and in thenet-piece 7, a receptacle 9 formed in the upper end of the post endthrough an opening made in the backing wall 8, and communicates with thepasses of the descending conduit 10 formed within post d.

Conduit 14 leads into a ball return chamber 2 situated below field a,hidden from above and may be held normally out of reach of the personsplaying the game. As may be seen in Fig. 2, the chamber e is inclinedtoward a tray 11 where the balls may be seen, so that the persons mayreach them with the hand. The return chamber e has a retaining elementor gate 12 which swings on axis 13.

The retaining element 12 is released from the coinbox 14 in the usualmanner through a transmission diagrammatically indicated by dot and dashline 15.

When the game is over, all the balls 5, which may be of any determinednumber, are maintained within chamber e by the gate 12 as shown in Fig.2.

When starting the game one of the persons must deposit a coin 16 in acoin box 14, and through transmission 15, the lifting of gate 12 iseffected, allowing the passing of balls 5 towards tray 11, the gatereturning to its former position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, toagain act as a retaining means for all the balls which may pass throughthe basket. The halls are taken one by one from tray 11 in order to playthe game.

As each rival person must handle the puppets of his equipment by meansof the respective handles 4, each must be located on an opposite side ofthe field after letting one ball drop in the center of same. The ballwill run, due to the declivity of the field, to one or anotherdepression 5. By means or puppets b, the rivals try to catch hold of theball and, in catapult manner, direct same towards basket c at his end ofthe field.

If the ball 5 falls within the basket c, it passes to the receptacle 9of conduit 1% and from this to the chamber e where it is retained bygate 12. After one ball is played, another is taken out of tray 11 inorder to continue the game as if the same ball were in use in the middleof the field.

With this new ball the same is done until one of the rivals manages tomake a goal, and as each ball 5 is played through conduit 1t) andretained in chamber e, when there are no more balls in tray 11, the gameis ended, as all the balls are retained by gate 12.

Under these conditions, if the rival persons wan-t to play a secondgame, or a second period, they must introduce another coin 16 in thecoin box 14 by means of which, by elevation of gate 12, the balls 5 arefreed and presented in tray 11.

It is obvious that in carrying out this invention, modifications ofdetail and structure of the specified device may be introduced, withoutthis implying a departure from the scope of said invention, as clearlystated in the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a parlor game of the basketball type a floor simulating a basketballarea in shape, side and end walls sur rounding the fioor, small basketsrespectively located at the opposite ends of the fioor, a backboardassociated with each basket, bracket means for supporting the backboardand basket above the floor extending upwardly from each end wall,parallel operating bars slidable through and rotatably connected to theopposite side walls, said parallel bars being arranged in pairs, thebars of one pair lying in confronting relationship to one another and infront of one basket at one end of the floor and the bars of the otherpair lying in confronting relationship to one another and in front ofthe other basket at the other end of the floor, each end of the floorhaving inclined Patented Jan. 29, 195.7

surfaces converging toward one another and providing an intermediatedepression extending across the floor into which a playing ball maygravitate, articulate playing men elements mounted in spacedrelationship on said bars, two said playing men elements being mountedonthe bar of each pair located immediately in front of each basket andrepresenting the guards or backs of a team, three said playing menelements mounted on the bar of each pair more removed from the basketand representing the center and forwards of a team, handles from theguard bar and the forward bar of each pair extending outwardly from theopposite side walls to manipulate the articulate playing elementsforming the different teams, said bracket means being in the form of ahollow post extending through the backboard and providing a receptacleimmediately under the basket opening, an inclined ball return chambermeans lying under said 4 floor, said post having a conduit leading tosaid chamber, a ball delivery tray extending from one side of the floorfor receiving the playing balls from the return chamber and coinoperated gate means in the return chamber controlling the passage of theballs from the return chamber to the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,433,335 Bensch Oct. 24, 1922 1,915,452 Sheffier et al. June 27, 19331,924,757 Shisotf Aug. 29, 1933 1,982,491 Barnum Nov. 27, 1934 FOREIGNPATENTS 991,570 France June 20, 1951

